The Santa Claus Parade – the enchanting magic of Christmas on the Costa Blanca
One of the highlights of the festive calendar takes place in La Zenia, with the La Zenia Santa Claus Parade.
The Costa Blanca´s foremost shopping centre La Zenia Boulevard has quite a reputation, and the venue never fails to impress each year with a spectacular Christmas light display culminating in the “Cabalgata de Papá Noel“. At the beginning of December, the water fountains in the main concourse are turned off to make way for the ornately decorated festive tree, and the mall is decked from head to toe in Christmas lights.It´s become something of a local tradition, and the Zenia Boulevard Christmas Parade is the pinnacle of the celebrations.
The evening event is a spectacle of light, music, and colour, as the shopping centre´s meandering avenues are filled with hundreds of dancers, and thousands of festive visitors.Local men and women of all ages dress in brightly coloured costumes and parade through the streets in a clearly well rehearsed and closely choreographed performance.The theatrical enactment concludes with Santa Claus himself (yes, the real one), taking a break from his chores in more Northern climes and riding his sleigh along the avenues waving to spectators.